comment

NEW CANAAN, Conn. -- A taxi driver who had been ordered out of a New Canaan diner for his erratic behavior Monday attacked a person outside the Gates Restaurant, New Canaan Police said.

Anthony Dickens, 43, of New York City, a regular at the New Canaan Diner, went in for his usual breakfast on Monday at the New Canaan Diner, police said.

He makes the staff nervous due to his odd behavior, police said, but there had never been a serious problem before. On Monday morning, however, he was very agitated, police said. He began screaming and using obscenities at the waitresses and causing at least one customer to leave in fear, police said.

He was told to leave and not return, police said.

On Main Street and still in his agitated state, Dickens began shouting obscenities at a worker on the street in front of Gates restaurant, police said.

The worker and a witness reported that for no known reason Dickens began swinging his fists at and ultimately attacked and began fighting with the worker, police said.

The worker had never met nor known Dickens before this day, police said. The worker suffered no injuries from the assault.

Dickens eventually broke off the fight and returned to work at the train station on Elm Street, where he is a taxi driver, police said. After interviewing witnesses and employees inside the diner, Dickens was arrested, police said.

Dickens of of 8855 161st St., Jamaica, N.Y., was charged with breach of peace and disorderly conduct. He was released on a promise to appear on court on Thursday.